Prieto Wins Watertown Chess Club Championship

Robert Kratzat, left and Mr. Prieto, right record moves in game four

 Adolfo Prieto won game four of the 2016 Watertown Chess Club Championship Match to claim a hard fought 2.5-1.5 victory over Robert Kratzat on December 13^th. It was his first club championship since 2009. Mr. Prieto entered the four game match with draw odds based upon his 2016 season club record of +26-1=7, superior to Mr. Kratzat’s record of +17-9=8 Mr. Kratzat had surprised top seed Prieto with a first round win and used a stunning sacrifice in the 3^rd round to draw by perpetual check, allowing the match to remain tied.

With the match tied at 1.5 -1.5 each, Mr. Kratzat needed a win to claim the title. He attempted to surprise with the unusual flank opening 1. b4, the Sokolsky or Polish Opening. Mr. Prieto was prepared and guided the game towards the exchange variation with 1… e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. c4 O-O. Mr. Kratzat’s 5. a3, stepped out of the obscure opening lines and left both to their own over the board prowess. From this point on Black was able to develop with threats causing White to back pedal. By the time White castled on move eleven, Black was able to fully develop his pieces with 11… Bf5. White still had a Knight on his back rank. White, still feeling pressured ten moves later attempted 21. f4 to gain space and drive away Black’s Queen. He was left with a backward King pawn that became Black’s invasion target. The game follows:

Kratzat,Robert (1710) – Prieto,Adolfo (1906) [A00]
WCC 2016 Championship Match (game 4), Dec.13, 2016

[pgn][Event “WCC 2016 Championship Match”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2016.12.13”]
[Round “2.4”]
[White “Kratzat, Robert”]
[Black “Prieto, Adolfo”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “A00”]
[WhiteElo “1710”]
[BlackElo “1906”]
[PlyCount “114”]
[EventDate “2016.12.13”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “4”]

1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. c4 O-O 5. a3 Ba5 6. Nf3 Re8 7. e3 d5 8.
cxd5 Nxd5 9. Be2 Nc6 10. Bb2 Qd6 11. O-O Bf5 12. Qb3 Bb6 13. Nc3 Be6 14. Nxd5
Bxd5 15. Qc3 Qh6 16. d4 Rad8 17. Qd2 Be4 (17… Bxf3 18. Bxf3 Nxd4 $1) 18. Bc3
Qg6 19. Nh4 Qg5 20. g3 Re6 21. f4 Qd5 22. Bf3 Rde8 23. Rae1 Na5 24. Bxe4 Rxe4
25. Ng2 Nc4 26. Qc1 c5 27. dxc5 Bxc5 28. Rd1 Qc6 29. Bd4 Bxa3 30. Qc3 f6 $2 (
30… Bb2 31. Qc2 Bxd4 32. Rxd4 Rxd4 33. exd4 b5) 31. Rfe1 a5 32. Rd3 $4 Bb4
33. Qa1 Bxe1 34. Qxe1 b5 35. Kf2 a4 36. Qa1 a3 37. g4 R4e7 38. Nh4 Qe4 39. Rc3
Rd7 40. Nf5 g6 (40… Rxd4 41. Nxd4 Nxe3 42. Nf3 Nxg4+ 43. Kg3 Ne3 44. Kf2 b4)
41. Ng3 Qe6 42. f5 Qd5 43. Qc1 Kf7 44. fxg6+ hxg6 45. Qc2 Nd6 46. h4 Ne4+ 47.
Nxe4 Qxe4 48. Qb3+ Kg7 49. Qxa3 Qxg4 50. Qa6 Rxd4 51. Rc7+ Kh6 52. Qa7 Qxh4+
53. Ke2 Qh2+ 54. Kf3 Qh3+ 55. Kf2 Qxe3+ 56. Kg2 Rd2+ 57. Kh1 Qh3+ 0-1

[/pgn]